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Before coming to France, one of the day trips we had decided on was going to Giverny to see Claude Monet's house and gardens. The kids have learned about the paintings of Monet in school and we have read to them (and Emma has read) several books on Monet and his art. Last week when we arrived in Paris and met our friends the Atlan's at the Menagerie, we decided to embark on this adventure together. We agreed to take the train to Vernon (the town next to Giverny). Once there you can go the 7 kilometers to Monet's house either by bus, by foot or by bicycle (rentals right outside the train station). So after booking the train online and making the trip to one of the train stations in Paris to pay for the ticket the prior day, we met the Atlan's at 9:40 in the morning at the Gare St. Lazare (Gare is the train station in France) for our trip to Vernon (about 45 minute train ride). While getting ready that morning both Andrew and Linsey checked the weather with two very different results... Andrew said it was only going to be 63 and cloudy all day and Linsey's forcast was chance of rain and high of 89. So we decided to dress for a warm day, but since it was cool and cloudy when we left we had some light outerwear as well. We met up with the Atlan's and the train ride to Vernon went without a hitch, although the kids wanted to be in the train car where the sits faced each other and there was a table in between. We explained this was the first class car and that they would have to wait to ride in that car until they had the money to pay for it. When we got off the train it was cool and rainy (not the kind of day one would hope for to explore Monet's gardens) and the Atlan's, Andrew, the kids and I had nothing to protect us from the rain. Linsey of course had her roll up North Face jacket that she had whipped out of her Mary Poppins bag a couple of times during the trip when it had been cool or rainy and her handy dandy little fold away umbrella. Andrew thought quick and went to the small convenience stand in the train station and asked if they had any umbrellas and it just so happened that they had them hidden behind the counter. We were able to buy three and the Atlan's were able to buy 4 more. We decided at this point that the best way to get to the garden would be the bus so we exited the train station to wait in a line for the bus which comes every 15 minutes. Now one thing to understand, for those of you who may not know me that well is that when I am made to wait in line for something it gives me the "opportunity" to devise the appropiate processes and procedures that can make things more efficient so people do not have to wait in such long lines and this was a "perfect" opportunity. As we were standing there in the rain the bus was there and the line was moving very slowly due to the fact that each person had to pay as they got on the bus. Of course they had to find out how much it was, did it include round trip, etc., etc. I thought it would have been much easier and more efficient if you would purchase your ticket beforehand either online or in the train station. Then all you would have to do is get on the bus and give your already purchased ticket to the driver...voila, no wait. So we finally got on the third bus that came around (45 minutes waiting in the rain) and by the time we got to Giverny the rain had stopped and we were able to walk to Monet's house and garden without our umbrella's and as a result we all have our both our eyes. Monet's house is a little pink house surrounded by a wall (I believe the wall was constructed to preserve the house as well as guide visitors to the proper place to buy tickets) and beyond the house is the gardens. The house was very quaint and each room had a color theme that ran throughout the room (and when I say throughout I mean throughout). You entered into the blue sitting room which was light and dark blues (robin egg and sky blue) and all the walls, trim and much of the furniture followed this light/dark blue theme. Then you entered Monet's studio which was big and light and actually had wood floors and flowery fabriced furniture (somewhat normal) and the walls were covered with replicas of his works, it was quite impressive to see it all in one place. Then we proceeded up the ocean green stairway into the bedrooms which were nicely furnished and the walls were adorned with Asian artwork (Monet loved and was inspired by Asian art). The view of the gardens from these upper bedroom windows was breathtaking. We went back downstairs to the dining room in which the walls and every piece of furniture was painted yellow. The china in the yellow china cabinet was blue which was a really nice contrast. The kitchen was another blue room, but this was blue tiled rather than painted and the pots on the pot rack were all copper, again a nice contrast.
We left the house and proceeded to the gardens which I don't think I can really do justice describing, but I will give it a try. The gardens were beautiful, colorful and serene even with a lot of people (including our celebrity sighting of Jamie Foxx) around you couldn't help but feel the tranquility of it's beauty. There were reds (poppies), oranges (impatiens), yellows (black-eyed susans,), purples(lavendar) and various other colors scattered around pathways and seating areas created throughout the gardens. We then took the pathway to the waterlilly pond which was dug by Monet. The willow trees, bridges and row boat were all there, just like you see in his paintings. Tre magnifique!
We had lunch then caught the bus back to the train station. Once at the train station we had over an hour wait so we strolled with the Atlan's around Vernon. It was a beautiful day.
While waiting for the train several of us had to use the bathroom and in France there are free public restrooms on the streets. They look like large oval sheds with a sliding door on one side and 3 lights next to the door which indicate vacant, occupied or service needed. One of the interesting attributes of these public facilities is that they clean themselves after each use. This means water squirts inside and there is no toilet, only a hole in the floor with textured places so your feet won't slip and a bar to hold onto. At the train station as it happened the only restrooms they had was the outdoor public facility. Andrew and Zach went first then Linsey went in. Once the door closed water started squirting on the floor, while this startled Linsey she thought she would be ok, when suddenly the lights went out and then she began to freak. She wasn't sure if water was going to begin squirting all over the bathroom or worse yet water and soap...so she began banging on the door and searching for the red button she had seen to somehow escape the restroom from hell. Luckily she hit the button and everything stopped. She jumped out of the restroom with a look of fear and disgust on her face and began laughing as she told us what had happened. We learned from her that you wait for the wash cycle after every use of the french public restroom facilities.
Our train ride home was as uneventful as the train ride to Vernon. We made our sorrowful good-byes to our friends the Atlan's who will not be returning from Pittsburgh but who are instead moving to Mexico City, Mexico where Mr. Atlan was transferred by his employer Schlumberger. Thus was the ending of a very long and beautiful day. Ta-ta for now.
- comments
Lory Sounds like you're having a great time...can't wait to see the pictures. Tell the kids hi and I miss them and will see them soon!!